Environment chiefs have acted to minimise noise and vibration from an engineering firm.

People in Wolsingham, County Durham, had been complaining about disturbance from Weardale Castings & Engineering Ltd.

The Environment Agency took over regulation of the site in April 2004 and has since tried to get the operator to voluntarily solve the problem.

Now, the agency has issued a variation to the company's permit to operate which means it can only use the two pieces of equipment that are causing the problem between 8am and 4.30pm, from Monday to Friday. The firm will not be allowed to use the equipment at all on weekends or public holidays.

Stuart Page, the agency's inspector for the site, said: "We have tried a number of routes to get the company to sort out this problem".